SoftMaker FreeOffice 2018 has just been released, promising full compatibility with the latest Word, Excel and PowerPoint formats and debuting a new optional ribbon interface for those switching from Office 2007 or later. FreeOffice comprises word processor TextMaker 2018, spreadsheets package PlanMaker 2018 and presentation tool Presentations 2018. There are two headline features with this latest release, both of which will appeal to those tired of paying out for Office 365 or looking to move on from an older, non-subscription version of Office. The first is the promise of seamless compatibility with the newer Microsoft Office formats for Word (DOCX), Excel (XLSX) and PowerPoint (PPTX). Previously, users could open but not save to the newer formats; now they can save “without any compromises”, according to the press release. The second major change is the implementation of a ribbon interface to mirror later versions of Office and Windows. This is an optional change — users are given the choice between the ribbon and the traditional classic menu and toolbar interface when they first run the program, while there’s also support for touch screens with a setting to provide larger icons and menu entries for touchscreen use. After enabling the ribbon interface, users can still access the original drop-down menus via the ≡ button beneath the ribbon. They’ll also find a button here for toggling touch mode on and off. To switch between ribbon and classic interface, navigate to Tools > Options > Appearance (click the User interface button). As with other… [Read full story]